Discoveries

By Ruth J. Katz If the stunning, take-your-breath-away Thorncrown Chapel, snugly tucked into a leafy, woodland setting in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, embraced a particular religious denomination, I would have converted. That is how serenely transported I felt, sitting in the glass-enclosed (425 panes, measuring a total of 6,000 square feet)

By Monique Burns  On South Africa’s east coast, Durban offers activities for beachgoers and sightseers alike. There’s the Golden Mile, four miles of sun-streaked beaches along the Indian Ocean.  Artsy nightlife enclaves and glittering casino-resorts. Museums showcasing the culture of Indian and Zulu citizens as well as early English and

Story & photos by Deborah Loeb Bohren The beautifully restored Main Arrivals Hall on Ellis Island contains a wealth of information about the roughly 12 million immigrants who passed through its’ doors between 1892 and 1954.  In fact, it is estimated that one in three American’s can trace their families

  By Everett Potter. Photos by Gayle Conran. One of the happiest places in the world at this moment must be the small city of Vevey along the northern shore of Lake Geneva in the Swiss Canton of Vaud.     For nearly one month, this city of fewer than

By Larry Olmsted The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, aka The Cosmo, was never intended to be a typical Vegas casino hotel. That may be the best thing about it. The project originally had a lot of condos, and by the time that fell through, construction was too far along to

By Julie Snyder What’s not to like about Ashland? Nestled in a mountain valley halfway between San Francisco and Portland, the southern Oregon community is a mecca of culture and cuisine, a launching pad for winter and summer recreation, and a cradle of small-town charm. The 1850s mill town once

By Monique Burns  Watching the sun set over the sands of balmy Durban, South Africa, is utterly romantic. Yet no less an authority than Lonely Planet has also called the steamy couples’ getaway one of the world’s most family-friendly beach resorts. Durban’s “Golden Mile”—four miles of broad sandy beaches along

By Everett Potter It seems like everyone is looking for an insiders view when they travel. That often means finding a great guide who can lead them to a hidden museum, an undiscovered café or a market filled with locals, not camera-clutching tourists. In our experience economy, great memories are

Story & photos by Julie Maris/Semel Get lost on Soajo’s ancient, stone cow-path to find traditional Portuguese warmth and hospitality. Follow the scent of wildflowers and mountain meadows or back-country road signs that lead to shepherds, roaming livestock, and welcoming cafes. This is northern Portugal, where sheer cliffs are matched

Story & photos by Paul Clemence It is that time of the year, when the art and collectible design clique descends on the Swiss town eponymous with the world leading art fair, Art Basel (which opens today),  to see the latest offerings the exclusive galleries have for them. The sheer